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Clinical Aromatherapy Part I: An Introduction Into Nursing Practice

Article  in  Clinical journal of oncology nursing · September 2003

DOI: 10.1188/03.CJON.595-596 · Source: PubMed

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INTEGRATED CARE CDR COLLEEN O. LEE, RN, MS, AOCN®

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Clinical Aromatherapy Part I:

An Introduction Into Nursing Practice

Cherie Perez, RN, BS, CCRP, RMT

What Is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is one of the fastest-grow-
ing complementary therapies used by nurses
in acute-care and long-term care settings in
the United States (Buckle, 2001; Thomas,
2002). Simply defined, aromatherapy is the
controlled use of plant essences for thera-
peutic purposes (Ernst, 2001). Licensed and
certified caregivers, such as massage thera-
pists and estheticians, use aromatherapy
regularly in their practices. Although inter-
est in aromatherapy is increasing among
nurses, most have not received specialized
education in the selection, safe use, and
clinical efficacy of essential oils. Risks are
associated with the use of essential oils, and
aromatherapists, healthcare providers, and
patients must be made aware of the risks and
practice safe use of essential oils. Aroma-
therapy generally should be considered an
adjunctive treatment and not an alternative
to conventional care.
This article provides an overview of aro-
matherapy, guidelines for selecting quality
products, and the potential risks associated
with essential oils. “Clinical Aromatherapy
Part II: Safe Guidelines for Integration Into
Clinical Practice” (see page 597) provides an
overview of the qualifications necessary for
aromatherapy practice, a brief summary of
published data, and guidelines for safe inte-
gration into clinical nursing practice. Despite
the growth of aromatherapy, a limited amount
of published data defines dosing, methods of
administration, and therapeutic outcomes of
essential oils. The development of clinical
practice guidelines provides a safe, standard-
ized approach to the use of essential oils and
aromatherapy within clinical practice settings.
What Terms Are Important
to Know in Aromatherapy?
Essential oils are the aromatic essences of
plants in the form of oil or resin. Essential oils
are derived from plant leaves, stalks, barks,
roots, flowers, fruits, or seeds. A carrier is the
diluent used to dilute a concentrated essential
oil for application. The neat is the direct appli-
cation of the essential oil compound (essential
oil plus carrier) to the skin. The note is the dis-
tinct aromatic variable of an essential oil used
when blending combinations of different es-
sential oil compounds. The top note is bright,
the middle note is lingering, and the base note
is grounding (see Figure 1).
How Did the Practice
of Aromatherapy Begin?
The medicinal use of plant oils has an ex-
tensive history in ancient Egypt, China, the Far
East, and Renaissance Europe (Thomas,
2002). The contemporary development of aro-
matherapy is attributed to René-Maurice
Gattefossé, a French chemist who burned his
Essential oils: the aromatic essences of plants in
the form of oil or resin
Carrier: the diluent used to dilute a concentrated
essential oil for application
Neat: the direct application of the essential oil
compound (essential oil plus carrier) to the
skin
Note: the distinct aromatic variable of an essen-
tial oil used when blending combinations of dif-
ferent essential oil compounds
FIGURE 1. TERMS TO KNOW IN AROMATHERAPY
hand and applied lavender oil to the site. The
burn healed rapidly without scarring. The ex-
perience inspired him to study the possible
therapeutic influence of plant oils. As a result,
the term aromatherapy was coined in 1937
(Ernst, 2001). Essential oils can be applied di-
rectly to the skin through compresses or mas-
sages, inhaled via diffusers or steaming water,
or added directly to bath water. At the present
time, about 150 essential oils exist (Thomas).
What Is the Chemical Structure
of an Essential Oil?
Essential oils have distinct complex struc-
tures and can be categorized by their proposed
mechanisms of action. Terpenes have antivi-
ral, antiseptic, bactericidal, and anti-inflamma-
tory attributes. Esters have fungicidal and
sedative attributes. Aldehydes have sedative
and antiseptic properties. Ketones may be very
Cherie Perez, RN, BS, CCRP, RMT, is research
nurse supervisor in the Department of Geni-
tourinary Medical Oncology at the University of
Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Hous-
ton and a volunteer facilitator at the Place ... of
Wellness at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
This poster originally was presented at the On-
cology Nursing Society 28th Annual Congress
in Denver, CO. Adapted with permission. (Men-
tion of specific products and opinions related to
those products do not indicate or imply en-
dorsement by the Clinical Journal of Oncology
Nursing or the Oncology Nursing Society.)
Key Words: complementary therapies, aroma-
therapy
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1188/03.CJON.595-596

CLINICAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY NURSING • VOLUME 7, NUMBER 5 • INTEGRATED CARE: PART I 595

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